We attempted to reconsider a manslaughter case against a schoolmaster (Regina v Hopley, 1860), which had been regarded as an archetype of legal cases of school corporal punishment until 1987, by examining contemporary newspapers and educational journals. Through this research, we have clarified not only the incident itself but also public reactions and opinions for/against school corporal punishment. Our Findings through our historical research are as follows :(1) The Hopley's incident was most sensational and caused the greatest excitement in England. Local newspapers enthusiastically reported the case in detail. Furthermore , most of English and Scotch principal newspapers also reported the trial of Hopley and made comments on the incident(2) Most of newspapers reflected the popular feelings averse to corporal punishment, and The Brighton Observer (May 11) demanded even "the abolition of all corporal punishment in the schools of England".(3) On the other hand, it was only four of twelve educational periodicals published in 1860 that made comments on the Hopley case. Most of them were averse to the "public opinion" expressed vigorously in the newspapers.(4) In order to establish a professional leadership in the debate on school corporal punishment, Joseph Payne, "the first professor of education in Britain", attempted to formulate a new pedagogical paradigm of school corporal punishment. He himself, however, did not argue against the use of physical punishment as a means of maintaining discipline. He denied only habitual use of corporal punishment. Rather, he asserted that "a vigilant administration", which corresponds to the "pouvoir pastoral" (Michel Foucault), was necessary for the discipline and it would become a basis for the effectiveness of corporal punishment.